Agriculture

As delegates from around the world meet in Port Moresby for the APEC Food Security Summit, communities across PNG are benefiting from a range of agricultural initiatives developed and implemented by the resources industry to boost agriculture in project areas.

Recently, the Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture trained 39 women from Hengambu, Yanta, Babua and Wagang villages in Morobe Province on food preparation. The training was conducted by the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) in Lae.

And Business Council of PNG President Robert Nilkare says the time to invest in agriculture is now.

Nilkare said agriculture is at the core of all Papua New Guineans and needed significant investment.

Speaking at the Prime Minister’s Back to Business Breakfast in Port Moresby, Nilkare said for too long the mineral sector has been relied on to bolster the economy.

He said while major centres of the country are moving towards technological advancements, the rural people still rely on the cash crop economy.

“I think the Government has finally got it right because in the last 30 years, we have been investing in mining and LNG but nothing was happening.    

“I thank this Government for putting agriculture as number one economic priority,” Dr Vele said.

Dr Vele revealed that in the Alotau Accord II, the Government prioritised agriculture, tourism and infrastructure compared to the previous term where the Government placed emphasis on education, health and infrastructure. 

Dr Jane Ravusiro, an expert in agribusiness and implementer of innovative agriculture for development, says children should not be made to think that agriculture is for failures.

She explained that many times parents tell their children that if they fail in school, they will be sent to the village to plant a garden.

As much as it is a threat to study hard in school, she said today more than ever agriculture remains Papua New Guinea’s economic safety net.

Farming PNG outlines the potential of agriculture in PNG through film in a 75-minute documentary, putting together the moments of a visual journey along the country’s agricultural sector.

The film is presented by Steven Woodhouse, who is an agronomist with decades of experience working in the agricultural sector from the Highland regions of PNG to the New Guinea Islands region.

Member for Maprik, John Simon, asked Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Tommy Tomscoll in Parliament on Thursday of the whereabouts of a thousand cattle heads that were supposed to go to Wewak.

He said the previous Government had purchased just over 4,000 cattle heads from Markham in Morobe Province, which were supposed to be sent to several province, including East Sepik.

“Can the minister tell us where those cattle are?” asked Simon.

CCDA national communication officer Larsen Daboyan highlighted that there’s lack of funding for effectively collecting quality data throughout Papua New Guinea.

The agriculture, forestry and land-use sector is a key source of greenhouse gas emissions for PNG.

PNG is among many countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that rectified the Paris Agreement and must report on their status on the NGHGI.

Any Government today and in future must invest between K1.5 billion and K2 billion, or 10 percent of the national budget every year, to grow the agriculture sector. This is if PNG wants to survive as a strong and healthy economy, he says.

Minister Tomscoll was speaking during the commissioning of the new rice milling machine in Angoram, East Sepik Province, last Wednesday (Nov 23).

“Food is the number one business in the world. Food alone is the biggest tradeable commodity in the world today.